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Ballot Organization and Rules

Last Updated June 25, 2025

What Will Be on Your Ballot
You may only vote in contests and for questions corresponding to your precinct (and party in Federal/State Primary Elections), as listed in your sample ballot. For example, you may only vote for one of the Congressional candidates who will represent your district and whose name is in your sample ballot.

If you are currently registered, you may view and print what will be on your specific ballot from our website by logging-in to Registered Voter Services and selecting View My Sample Ballot from the dropdown menu (when that information becomes available).

Voting will be EASIER for you and FASTER for everyone if you study, mark and bring your sample ballot with you when you vote. Do not wait until you are in the voting booth to review the information.

Order of Offices, Names and Questions in Federal/State Primary and General Elections
Nevada law specifies the order of the contests, names, and questions on the ballot. Partisan federal, state and county offices appear first, nonpartisan state and county offices follow, City offices are next, township nonpartisan office are then listed, and ballot questions are last (NRS 293.268). Candidates’ names are in alphabetical order by office and must meet legal requirements for the use of given names, surnames and nicknames (NRS 293.256, 293.2565,293.263, 293.265, 293.267). You may vote for “None of These Candidates,” in presidential and statewide contests (NRS 293.269). Nevada does not permit write-in candidates (NRS 293.270).

Candidates with the Same Name
If two or more candidates have the same given name and surname, then their order on the ballot will depend on the following: (a) If none of the candidates is an incumbent, the middle names or initials, if any, of the candidates must be included; (b) If one of the candidates is an incumbent, the incumbent's name must be listed first and the word “Incumbent” must appear next to it (NRS 293.2565(2)).

"None of These Candidates" Option
You may vote for “None of These Candidates” in U.S. Presidential, U.S. Senate, and statewide contests, i.e., Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Controller, Attorney General, Justice of the Supreme Court, and Court of Appeals Judge. (NRS. 293.269)

When and Why a Candidate or Office May or May not Appear on a Primary or General Election Ballot

PARTISAN CONTESTS

• If a major party has only one candidate for a partisan office, the name of that candidate will not appear in the Primary Election, only in the General Election. (NRS 293.260)
• If a major political party has two or more candidates for a partisan office, the person who receives the highest number of votes in the Primary Election will go forward to the General Election ballot. (NRS 293.260(3)(a))
• Minor party candidates and candidates with no political party running for partisan offices will only appear in the General Election. (NRS 293.257)

NONPARTISAN CONTESTS (Except Special District and General Improvement District Contests)

• If not more than the number of candidates to be elected file for a nonpartisan office, the names of those candidates will appear in the Primary Election. If a candidate receives at least one vote in the Primary Election, the candidate will be declared elected and that contest will not appear in the General Election. This does not apply to Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, District Court Judge, or Town Advisory Board Member. (NRS 293.260(3)(b))
  • Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and District Court: If only one candidate files for a Justice of the Supreme Court seat, Court of Appeals Judge seat, or District Court Judge department, then that contest will not appear in the Primary Election, only in the General Election. (NRS 293.260(3)(a))
  • Town Advisory Board: If not more than the number of candidates to be elected file for Town Advisory Board member, the candidate(s) will be declared elected and the office will not appear in the Primary or General Election. If there are fewer candidates than seats up for election, then, after the election,new members will be appointed to fill the vacant seats. (NRS 269.576(7)(a) and 293.260(3)(c))
• If not more than twice the number of candidates to be elected file for a nonpartisan office, then that contest will not appear in the Primary Election, only in the General Election. (NRS 293.260(4))
• If more than twice the number of candidates to be elected file for a nonpartisan office, then that contest will appear in the Primary Election. The candidates who receive the most votes, not exceeding twice the number to be elected, will go forward to the General Election. However, if one candidate receives a majority of the votes in the Primary Election, then that candidate will be declared elected and the contest (in contests where you may vote for one candidate, which are most) OR the candidate (in contests where you may vote for multiple candidates, such as Town Advisory Boards and the Moapa TV Maintenance District) will not appear in the General Election. This does not apply to Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, or District Court Judge. (NRS 293.260(5))
  • Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and District Court: If three or more candidates file for a Justice of the Supreme Court seat, Court of Appeals Judge seat, or District Court Judge Department, that contest will appear in the Primary Election. The top two candidates who receive the most votes will go forward to the General Election. However, if one of the candidates receives a majority of the votes in the Primary Election, then that candidate's name will be the only one to appear in the General Election. (NRS 293.260(5)(a))

SPECIAL DISTRICT CONTESTS (Moapa Valley Water District and Virgin Valley Water District)

• If a candidate is an incumbent and unopposed in seeking election for a Special District office, that candidate must be declared elected without a formal election. If there are fewer candidates than seats up for election in Special Districts, then, after the election, new members will be appointed to fill the vacant seats (Special Acts Chap. 100, §8(4); Special Acts Chap. 477, §7(4))
• Special District offices only appear in the General Election, but only if there are more candidates than seats up for election in the Special District. (Special Acts Chap. 100, §5(2); Special Acts Chap. 477, §5(1))

GENERAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT CONTESTS (Moapa Valley TV Maintenance District and Overton Power District)

• If only one candidate files for an office, that candidate must be declared elected and no Primary or General Election will be held. If there are fewer candidates than seats up for election, then, after the election, new members will be appointed to fill the vacant seats (NRS 318.090(5), NRS 318.095(1); NRS 318.09523)
• General Improvement District offices may appear in the Primary or General Election and only when two or more candidates file for office. (NRS 318.095(2); NRS 318.09523)